Art, Independence, and Loving Yourself

Better Days Festival performer Ariel Beesley discusses her life growing up Los Angeles, her upcoming single “So Baby”, and creating a safe space for sexual assault survivors through her organization, U Start Here.

Los Angeles, California, USA

Who is Ariel Beesley and what is your music about?

Well, I’m Ariel Beesley! I’m a musician born and raised Los Angeles, CA. My music is literally just about my life and emotions. Things I’m working through, through the music. My songs are very diary entry based, and it’s super important to me that I write my own music. After all, it’s how I feel I best communicate, even if that communicating is with myself and realizing how the hell I feel.

How has growing up in Los Angeles influenced you as an artist and performer?

It’s funny, growing up in LA, when everyone around you is also growing up in LA, it doesn’t seem that crazy. In fact I was just recently talking to someone about the fact that it wasn’t until I had spoken to people who had moved here that I realized growing up going to punk shows in downtown alleyways wasn’t “normal”, but it was for me.

Looking back I loved growing up in LA, but during the process I hated it lol. Does that make sense? I think growing up in a liberal bubble of sorts definitely influenced me in who I am and my beliefs. And who I am is always influencing how I am as a performer so I guess that’s the answer.

Tell me about your nonprofit organization, U Start Here,that focuses on healing survivors of sexual assault. Why did you decide to start this organization? Why is this important to you?

I have wanted to start U Start Here for a very long time. I think part of me thought I had to wait until a certain point in my career to do so, but fuck that. In short, I’m a sexual assault survivor myself, and I wanted to create a space where fellow survivors and allies could go for help, guidance, education- all that fun stuff. In my own journey of healing, which I’m very much still on, I have learned that three things have helped me the most: Therapy with someone who specializes in this kind of trauma, art- turning my pain into music or dance or whatever the hell it needs to be turned into, and lastly, community- talking to other survivors. So that’s what U Start Here focuses on.

While filming the Better Days Festival, you played a new song. What kind of journey will this song take us on and when do we expect it to be released?

Yes! The song is called “So Baby” and I wrote it at a time when I was very very angry lol. It’s basically me holding a mirror up to men that are trash and very much realizing I’m better off on my own and always have been. It’s about loving myself and it’s coming November!